Anyone ever build an auger?

[Rgillard]

Hi All,

I'm looking at building two projects for my skid steer loader that involve an auger. The first is a bedding material spreader device which spreads sawdust/peatmoss/sand onto the cubicles where the dairy cows lie at night. The second implement is for pushing back feed using an auger.

The question is how difficult is it to build an auger. I seen on scrapheap challenge (uk version of junkyard wars) an auger built by cutting out individual rings out of sheet metal and splitting them across one radius. It was then welded at one end and pulled at the other to get the helical shape. I have access to a cnc plasma cutter so cutting out identical parts will not be a problem. I just wanted to research the manufacturing of it before I tried. What would be the ideal thickness of material to make the disks out of if that is the way to make it.

Thanks,
Ronan

An example of both machines can be seen on this website.

Bobman range

 

[bobodu]

Been thinking about this for a week now,possibly using the log splitter to do the pulling. I haven't gotten around to cutting a paper circle but I think there would be a bit of a twisting action involved here.
Hope someone comes in soon so I can sleep......

 

[Scotty370]

I'm just thinkin a couple things: I would think you'd want 1/8" plate, and wouldn't cutting the circles and center holes leave an awful lot of scrap? Second, I'm thinkin also that most augers would be hardened to some degree, more than just mild steel. I'd try to find a Construction/Farm Equipt scrap yard that you might be able to scrounge a piece of auger from a boring machine, or grain elevator. Worst case a couple of old post hole augers. Just seems like starting from scratch might not be cost effective. ~Scotty

 

[tree grower]

Scotty--several years ago I wanted a 24" auger to plant root bags to grow landscape stock. You probably have priced augers enough to know that a big one costs almost as much as an F-16. I found an old utility pole auger at the local scrap yard. It started life as a 16" unit, and had worn down to 14" diameter. It was 6 ft long, and weighed way too much. I only needed the unit to be 3 ft long, so I had a guy cut it down for me, and he welded plates around it to bring it out to 24". He used 1/4" x 6" flat stock, each piece about a foot long. With these short lengths he could cut the inside edge to match the outside perimeter of the auger, then weld, heat, and bend as needed. It turned out real good. I don't know what diameter auger you need, but the scrap yard I use also has the worn-out augers from winter sand spreaders. These are 4-6" and you could add a few inches around one of them. I agree that making one from scratch would be quite a challenge.

 

[AlanB]

Not sure about your location, but here in the US when I spoke with my buddy at the welding shop, the helix for the augers was available as a ready cut and formed component.

That said I am still looking at adding 6" to an 12" auger and seems the most practical thing is to make a cardboard pattern and plasma it out of sheet stock steel.

I would make it out of mild steel, and watch it and if it started wearing heavily then go back and put "stoody" or "hardfacing" rod on the wear areas.

Good luck with your project.

 

[6sunset6]

I looked at this once. I think mild steel will be problimatical, not so much for wear. although that would depend on use . But for resistance to bending. Some of the stiffness comes from the shape and welded to the center post but I think there is some heat treating there as well. This is not a reason not to try. Heavier plate would compensate. Anway it sounds like people have added flights to existing augers and had good sucess. That is the way I would go. You can get a 12 inch one new from TSC for $150 . 6" is $100
Modify from there. Plus they have tips and cutting edges for spare.

 

[Taylortractornut]

We bought several pieces from a power transmission dealer. he had some used and some new. Its not very high in the spiral form and you can order it in various lengths widths and shaft diameters. An old combine unloading auger may be a good place to look. I have several from one old 300 MF combine I parted out. I found a smaller shaft to fit into the centers and welded them in made a mini feed auger.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Here's a thread that might interest you some. The guy bought his flight and he says in there somewhere where he bought it. I think I would buy flight rather than try to pull it from a flat spriral cut.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/17523-snowblower-plans.html

Edit: Here's where he got his flighting:

Found the info:

Alfred Egbers
Hooper, NE 68031
Tel: 800 462-2588

(Sorry, I earlier said Kansas, it was Nebraska, obviously).

I found this in a few minutes using the excellent free search engine on the Farm Show News website, where I originally read about it. When I called, I talked to Mrs. Egbers, and she was very helpful, although it took me a while to convince her I wanted full auger flighting, not the webbed-out stuff that she was used to seeing on the typical two stage snowblowers. I guess she'd never seen a 15 diameter single stage blower before.
http://farmshow.com

 

[SPIKER]

I work for a company who make hundreds of them weekly. we use large presses CNC plasmas to cut out C shapes (only the opening is only about 1/2" from side to side) they are pressed in die to form the opening. pulling will not be very successful as it would tend to collapse in the middle or weakest point. pressing them is about only good way to form the auger from flat plate. rolling bar stock is next way but you need a very large forming tool... I'm not engineer for the auger shop just see them making em a lot and been watching suggesting things for the guy designing a NEW press to make them faster & safer. we make augers up to 96" dia and as thick as 3/4" plate.

mark

 

[SuperDuty335]

I didn't build the actual auger, but I did gather/build/install the rest of the assembly for a skid steer mounted auger. The auger itself is 9" with replaceable knives and spiral tip. It cost less than $150, which I think is a good deal. I wouldn't attempt to build one. The gearbox is a 58 horsepower, 3.14 ratio Omni brand with a Chief Hyd. motor with max. torque of 3026 in/lbs and up to 20gpm with a max. 2400psi. The final rpms at max. pressure/flow will be around 117 which, in retrospect may be too much; or maybe it will bore really fast! I sold my skid steer before I finished it so it has yet to be tested. Anyone want to try it out?